Rotary engine.



PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

G. G. BAUER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.12. 1905.

Z SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTVQR 7 C 6.501422,

Attorney J) PATEN'IBD MAY 15, 1906.

U. i-(BAUER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED'A?B..12.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I WITNESSES A Hurray-q;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed April 12, 1905. Serial No 255,134.

T 0 all whom, it 7n00y concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. BAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that type of engine wherein a rotary piston is employed with which cooperates a movable and preferably rotatable abutment.

In a more s ecific sense the improvements are particular y applicable to steam-engines; but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same can be advantageously employed in connection with rotary engines using gasolene, petroleum, and other kinds of motive fluid.

One of the principal objects is to provide novel and efficient means for effecting the movement of the abutment to allow the unobstructed passage of the blades of the piston without permitting any material back pressure or escape of steam during such passage.

Another important object is to provide means whereby the movement of the abutment is made intermittent, and during the periods between such intermittent movements said abutment is not only held against accidental or abnormal movement, but is also maintained in proper cooperative relation to the piston.

A still further object is to provide a simple comp act structure that may be manufactured at comparatively small cost, is highly eflicient in operation, and is economical in the amount of steam used, the expansive force of such steam being employed so that a high degree of power is secured therefrom.

An embodiment of the invention that is at present considered preferable is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a side elevation of the engine. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view through one of the ratchet mechanisms, and Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of such ratchet mechanism with the friction-cap removed.

Similar reference-letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the draw mgs.

In the embodiment illustrated a casing A is employed, the interior of which is divided by a partition A into separate compartments, each compartment having a piston chamber and an abutment-chamber commu nicating therewith. Passing through the casing, through the piston-chambers, and consequently through the partition A, is an engine-shaft B, having on one of its projecting ends a fly-wheel B and on the opposite projecting end a suitable driving-pulley B.

Suitably secured to the shaft B and rotating in the piston-chambers are rotatable pistons O, the greater portions of which are circular in form and are spaced from the annular walls of the piston-chambers. Each of these pistons is provided with an outstanding blade or wing C, the outer end of which operates against the inner face of said annular wall, forming, preferably, joint. By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be noted that the blades C of the pistons are disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the shaft. Extending across the abutmentchambers are independent shafts D, their inner ends being journaled in the partition A, their outer ends projecting beyond the opposite sides of the casing. Suitably secured to the shafts and operating respectively in the different abutment-chambers are rotatable abutments D, each of which is provided with a plurality of radially-disposed wings or teeth the outer ends of which operate against the annular walls of the abutment-chamber and, as illustrated in Fig. 2, are also adapted to successively bear against the circular peripheral face of the cooperating iston O.

T e present engine is of the reversible type and is therefore provided with steam-inlet ports E, located on opposite sides of the abutments which cooperate with the piston. These inlet-ports are controlled by oscillatory valves E, which are provided outside the casing with crank-arms E Steam or other motive fluid obtained from any suitable source is conducted to the ports E through pipes J, each of which is preferably provided with a controlling-valve. (Not shown.) In the cylinderehead of the casing A is formed a suitable exhaust-passage F, that communicates with each of the compartments substantially midway between the opposite inletports E, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

For the purpose of effecting a positive stepby-step movement of each abutment the following mechanism is employed: A crankarm G is loosely journaled on the projecting end of each of the abutment-shafts D and a steam-tight crank-arms E fastened to each shaft D just inside said crank-arm is a ratchet-Wheel H. A reversible dog H, pivotally mounted upon one end of the crank-arm, has oppositely-disposed outstanding teeth at its free end, either of said teeth being adapted to operate upon the ratchet-wheel by merely reversing the position of the dog. A bowed spring H carried by the same end of the crank-arm on which the dog H is mounted, is arranged to hold said dog in either of its reverse positions. A link B has a pivotal connection with the opposite end of the crank-arm G to that carrying the dog H, said link B having a strap which surrounds a cam B, carried by the pro' jecting end of the engine-shaft D. Other links E pivoted to the opposite ends of the crank-arms G, are also connected to the For the purpose of preventing overthrows of the abutments and for the purpose of holding said abutments in proper cooperative relation to the pistons C, friction or resistance devices in the form of caps H are mounted upon the projecting ends of the shafts D and bear against the outer sides of the freely-journaled crank-arms G. These friction devices are held in place by suitable bolts H threaded into the ends of the shaft D and maintaining the caps H against the crank-arms G, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The operation of the engine may be briefly described as follows: When running in one direction, the supply of steam is cut off from one of the ports E, so that it will only fiow through the other. The steam entering the open port will act upon the blades C of the pistons, thereby revolving said pistons and transmitting rotary motion to the engineshaft. As the blades 0 alternately approach their respective cooperating abutments they enter the space between the teeth thereof, and at the same time the cams B are so located that they will operate the crank-arms, and thereby the dogs, to turn the ratchet-wheels H. Consequently the abutments will be alternately operated and permit the passage of the blades 0 past the same. Immediately after this passage takes place the cams B begin to retract the crank-arms G to cause the dogs to' pass over the teeth of the ratchetwheels and take up positions behind certain of the same in order to effect the succeeding movements of the abutments. During this retro rade movement the caps H are frictiona ly bearing against the crank-arms G, so that the return movements of said crankarms tend to turn the shafts D in a reverse direction. Consequently the tooth of each abutment will be brought into a close frictional engagement with the circular portion of the pistons G, insuring steam-tight joints until the forward movements of the crankarms again effect a partial rotation of the abutments. During these various movements of the pistons the valves IE will be oscillated by the same means which effects the oscillations of the crank-arms G, so that the supply of steam will be cut off at intervals, and therefore the steam or other motive fluid confined in the casing will operate under 6X- pansion upon the piston. To reverse the engine, it is only necessary to shut'ofi the inletport in operation and open the opposite one, at the same time reversing the positions of the dogs H, so that the abutments will be rotated step by step in the opposite directions. From the above it will be noted that the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described has all the advantages set forth in the preliminary portion of the specification. Moreover, the structure is simple and the parts are such that there is little liability of injury or breakage. However, should it become necessary to repair any of the elements the same are readily accessible, and the renewal of any may be made at small cost.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston, of a rotatable abutment cooperating therewith, and means for effecting the step-by-step rotation of the abutment, said means including a ratchetwheel associated with the abutment and a dog movable back and forth and operating on the wheel, said dog having connection with the piston.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston having a shaft, of a rotatable abutment cooperating with the piston and having a shaft, and means for effecting the step-by-step rotation of the abutment, said means including a ratchet-wheel mounted on the abutment-shaft, a dog movable back and forth and operating on the wheel, and means connected to the pistonshaft for effecting the back-andforth movement of the dog.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston having a shaft, of a rotatable abutment cooperating with the piston, means for effecting a step-by-step movement of the abutment, said means including a cam mounted on the shaft, and a reciprocatory element operated by the cam.

l. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston, of a rotatable abutment cooperating therewith, means for effecting a step-by-step movement of the abutment, said means including a ratchet, an oscillatory dog operating on the ratchet, and means operated by the piston for oscillating the dog.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston having a shaft, of a rotatable abutment cooperating with the piston and having a shaft, a ratchet-wheel carried by the abutment-shaft, a dog movable backand forth and operating on the ratchet- 'wheel, and a cam mounted on the pistonshaft and having a connection with the dog for operating the same.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston having a shaft, of a rotary abutment having a shaft, a crank-arm loosely journaled on the abutment-shaft, a ratchet-wheel secured to the abutment-shaft,

a dog carried by the crank-arm and operating 7 nected to the said crank.

8. A rotary engine comprising a casing divided into two compartments, an engineshaft extending through both com artments, a piston fixed to said shaft in eac compartment, a blade carried by each piston, movable valves adapted to admit steam into each compartment on .opposite sides of the casing, an abutment-shaft rotatably j ournaled in each compartment and parallel to the engineshaft, a toothed abutment mounted on each abutment-shaft, a crank mounted loosely midway its ends upon each abutment-shaft, a ratchet secured adjacent each crank, a reversible dog pivotally carried by each crank and adapted to engage its-coacting ratchet, a crank-arm connected to each valve, links connecting said arms to the crank, and means carried by the drive-shaft adapted to rock the said cranks.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston, of a movable abutment cooperating therewith, means for effecting a predetermined intermittent movement of the abutment in one direction said means including a ratchet-wheel connected to the abut-ment and an oscillatory dog'operated from the piston, and means associated with the ratchet-wheel for resisting a further movement of said abutment.

10. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston, of a movable abutment cooperating therewith, means movable back and forth for effecting a predetermined intermittent rotation of the abutment in one direction, and means for maintaining the abutment against movement and in cooperation with the piston during the intervals between its movements by said operating means.

11. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston, of a movable abutment cooperating therewith, means for effecting a predetermined intermittent movement of the abutment in one direction, and frictional means for resisting a further move ment of the abutment.

12. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston, of a movable abutment cooperating therewith, means for effecting a predetermined intermittent movement of the abutment in one direction, and frictional means operating upon the abutmentmoving means for maintaining the abutment against movement and in cooperation with the piston during the intervals between the movements of said abutment.

13. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston, of a movable abutment cooperating therewith, ratchet mechanism operated by the piston for intermittently moving the abutment, and a friction or resistance device engaging the ratchet mechanism to prevent an abnormal movement of said abutment.

14. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotatable piston, of a rotatable abutment cooperating therewith and having a shaft, ratchet mechanism including a crank arm loosely journaled on the shaft, means operated by the piston for oscillating said arm, a cap secured to the abutment-shaft and bearing against the crank-arm, and means for maintaining a frictional engagement between said .cap and crank-arm.

15. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having a partition and a plurality of piston and abutment chambers located on opposite sides of the partition, of an engine-shaft extending through the p stonchambers and through the partition, pistons mounted on the shaft on opposite sides of the partition, a plurality of independently-movable abutments mounted in the abutmentchambers on opposite side of the partitions and cooperating respectively with the pistons, and means operated from the eng neshaft for effecting independent intermittent rotations of the abutments.

16. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a partition separating the same into different compartments, each of said compartments having a piston-chamber and an abutment-chamber, of an engineshaft extending through both piston-chambers, pistons separately mounted on the shaft and operating respectively in the chambers, separate abutment shafts extending through the abutment chambers and having separate inner ends alined and journaled in the partition, abutments carried by the shafts and cooperating with the pistons, said abutments being located in the abutment-chambers, and means mounted on the outer ends of the abutment-shafts and connected to the ends of the piston-shaft for effecting independent step-by-step movements of the abutments.

17. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having a motive-fluid inlet, of

an oscillatory valve controlling said inlet, an engine-shaft, a piston operating in the casing and carried by the shaft, a rotary abutment located in the casing and cooperating with the piston, a cam mounted on the engine shaft, a link connected to. the cam, ratchet means for operating the abutment, said means being connected to and operated by the links, and a connect on between the ratchet means and the valve for oscillating the latter upon the movement of said ratchet means 18. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having a piston-chamber, an abutment-chamber, and a motive-fluid inlet, of an oscillatory valve controlling the motivefluid inlet, a piston operating in the pistonchamber and having a shaft, an abutment operating in the abutment-chamber and having a shaft, ratchet mechanism mounted on the abutment-shaft and including an oscillatory crank-arm, a cam mounted on the piston-shaft and having a link connection with the crankarm, and a link connection between the crank-arm and the valve.

19. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having a motive-fluid inlet, of a movable valve controlling said inlet, a piston operating in the casing and having a shaft, an abutment cooperating with the piston, ratchet means for operating the abutment with a stepby-step movement, a link, con necting the shaft and ratchet means and another link connecting said first-mentioned link and the valve for operating said valve.

20. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing having a motivefiuid inlet, of a valve controlling said inlet, a piston operating in the casing and having a shaft, an abutment cooperating with the piston, means for effecting a step-by-step rotation of the abutment, said means including ratchet mechanism, a link connecting the shaft and mechanism, and means connected to the ratchet mechanism for operating the valve.

CHARLES G. BAUER.

Witnesses:

JOHN NOBLE, JOHN BIGGIO. 

